pvickers

So far, the English version of revision G of the updated Helix Floor manual has not appeared on the support site.

Curious if this is just not ready yet or perhaps it has been overlooked?

Thanks!

I'm currently considering buying a Powercab 112 Plus.

I noticed from the manual for the Powercab Plus that it shows it is possible to use the USB interface to a computer with a guitar plugged directly into the Powercab’s instrument input. 

I'm wondering if this instrument input is comparable in terms of impedance, dynamic range etc., to the one in my Helix Floor?

Thanks!

Yes, I have tested having only my Helix floor connected to the Scarlett 18i20 using S/PDIF.

(I should mention I have the generation 3 of the 18i20.)

This worked fairly well with the 18i20 and Helix set to 44.1 kHz with the clock on the 18i20 set to S/PDIF.

However, I did still get some drop outs and lock synchronization problems.

It would consistently occur when using the Helix 6 button looper, start/stop would often trigger it.

After the help you and "rd2rk" provided above, here is what I've done so far...

(...Getting away from the S/PDIF connection and using USB for both the 18u20 and Helix.)

I installed the "Line 6 Helix Driver2".

I set up an aggregate USB device on my Mac…using Apple’s website documentation here:

https://support.apple.com/en-ca/HT202000

With the aggregate USB device set up, I changed my Helix back to use the default 48 kHz and also tried 44.1 kHz… both worked fine.

The aggregated USB device is going to be incredibly useful in my DAW (Reaper).

After testing this a bit, I disconnected the Helix from my Mac and reconnected it by S/PDIF to the 18i20, set to 48 kHz with the 18i20 set as “Internal”.

So far, this appears to be working well.

Thanks for the help! 

I know how to set the sample rate on the Helix (in the global settings), but how do I set the Helix SPDIF to internal?

I can do this for my 18i20, but I don't know where this setting is for the Helix. (...nothing about this in the Helix manual that I can find so far.)

Until now, I have only been using the Apple core audio support (I have not installed the Line 6 driver).

I understood this additional driver was required for USB based synchronization when using rates other than the default 48 kHz.

Thanks!

I have a Helix Floor unit routing into a FocusRite Scarlett 18i20.

What I have found is I can set the Helix and 18i20 to a sample rate of 44.1 kHz and it seems to work fine.

However, using the default of 48 kHz causes synchronization issues... The signal drops out, pops etc.

I have the 18i20 set to synchronize using S/PDIF and the "Digital I/O Mode" set to S/PDIF RCA.

I'm using the S/PDIF output on the Helix to the input on the 18i20.

The cable is good quality, 75-ohm, and intended for digital links. (15 feet long.)

I'm running the latest firmware on the Helix 3.11.

Also have the latest FocusRite firmware and "Control" software (version 3.7.4.1943).

(I'm running this all using an Intel based MacBook Pro on "Big Sur" version 11.6.1.) 

I have already tried using a very high quality, 3 foot cable.  This made no difference.

Is it possible the Helix could have a hardware problem?

Thanks!

I have a basic question regarding when it is necessary to power off the Helix Floor when making connections.

Electronics equipment manuals usually specify when you should power off the device before making certain connections.

I have not been able to find any information about this in the current Helix manual (Version 3.0 Rev F).

My question: Is it safe to connect and disconnect cables while the Helix (Floor) is powered on?

For all of these…

- Exp2, Exp3

- Ext Amp

- CV

- Guitar In

- Aux In

- Mic In

- Sends/Returns

- XLR Out

- 1/4” Out

- Phones

- Variax

- MIDI In/Out/Thru

- S/PDIF

- AES/L6 Link

- USB

Thanks!